


Some Time To Think

by kiwiqueen



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Awkward Flirting, F/F, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Tea Parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22406848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwiqueen/pseuds/kiwiqueen
Summary: A heartbroken Hilda finds comfort in a place she didn't expect to find it.
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 1
Kudos: 48





	Some Time To Think

Hilda did not consider herself a model student, but today her focus was somehow worse than usual. The professor’s voice, although by all accounts the same as before the ball, felt like a knife in her heart every time she heard it. Claude’s easy banter felt like that knife was being twisted. Her notes were filled with aimless scribbles, and she couldn’t even look the professor in the eyes.

Time seemed to drag on like sandpaper against Hilda’s skin. She felt like she was swimming through syrup, and she could hardly breathe until Byleth mercifully dismissed the Golden Deer from class.

“Hey, Hilda.”

She distantly heard a mischievous voice trying to get her attention, but she couldn’t look up. She simply shoved her things into her bag and made to escape the classroom as quickly as she could. She first repeated her path from the night of the ball, running to her room and collapsing onto the bed, but she knew she didn’t want to stay. Scheming idiot that he was, Claude would certainly come after her. Besides, the isolation would only fuel her self-pitying thoughts. So she left her room before Claude could show up with a concerned look on his face and make her feel even worse about her jealousy.

The familiar grounds of the monastery were a mild sort of comfort. The dull roar of chattering students and flapping wings were, at the very least, better than the deafening silence of her bedroom. She ventured a glance into the clear, blue sky and saw the spires of the Goddess Tower looming in the corner of her vision. Hilda silently cursed herself and returned her gaze to the ground before her.

Hilda meandered in aimless circles around the training grounds and tried to keep her mind occupied. Makeup, axe techniques, the necklace she had insisted on making for Leonie, anything but Claude or the professor. But the sounds of clashing blades only reminded her of the way Claude looked at Byleth when she held her holy relic.

So she wandered away.

She made her way through the Officer’s Academy classrooms, around the knight’s hall, and eventually found herself walking in the direction of the cathedral. The bridge stretched out seemingly limitless before her, and the wind on her face helped clear her cluttered mind.

The midday light streaming through the vibrant stained glass of the cathedral was beautiful, but it was not what caught Hilda’s attention first. Directly down the center aisle of pews, Hilda’s eyes fixed on the sky blue braids of her classmate. She approached Marianne carefully, as one might approach a woodland creature to not frighten them.

“Dear goddess, hear my prayer.” Marianne’s voice was uncertain, yet melodious, and Hilda marveled at it for a moment before calling out to the other girl.

“Marianne,” Hilda forced a smile onto her face.

“Oh, hello Hilda,” Marianne paused a moment before adding, “it’s rare to see you around here.”

“Yeah,” Hilda agreed, “I guess I just needed a change of scenery. Some time to think, you know?”

Marianne didn’t say anything. A comfortable silence fell between the pair of girls looking up at the altar in front of them. Hilda dared to peek at her companion and wondered idly what she had been praying for.

“Hey Marianne.” The quiet girl gave her an inquisitive look. “Do you want to go for a walk with me?”

She hesitated for a moment. “I. . . I couldn’t. I’d probably just. . . get in your way, or distract you, or. . . something. I’m sorry.”

Hilda smiled a genuine smile this time when she saw the way Marianne’s face blushed a faint pink. “Please? Having you as a distraction would be an honor.”

As Marianne was stammering out another excuse, Hilda took her by the hand and led her outside the cathedral. A gust of wind pulled a few strands of Marianne’s hair from its messy braid, and Hilda brushed them back behind her ear, smiling at the depth of her dark brown eyes.

“Thank you, Hilda. I’m sorry”

“No need to apologize.”

The pair made their leisurely way around the monastery, chatting about frivolous things--

“I saw Dimitri break a training axe clean in two the other day.”

“Bernadetta was hiding in the corner of the stable when I was checking on Dorte.”

“The smell of those pastries Mercedes was baking was heavenly!”

\--and not once did Hilda’s mind drift back to Claude. She basked in the warm light of the sun and of Marianne’s presence. They walked past the dorms, by the fishing pond, and through the entrance hall before passing into the courtyard to the pavilion of tables.

“How about I fetch us some tea?” Hilda offered.

“Oh, no, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“Consider it a thank-you,” Hilda winked playfully, “for being such a pleasant distraction.” She left for the dining hall to pour two cups of lavender tea to bring back to Marianne. They were still discussing gossip and plans for after their graduation when Hilda absentmindedly placed her hand in Marianne’s across the small table.

And suddenly it hit her like a lance to the chest.

The way Marianne’s hand fit so perfectly in her own. Her soft voice. Her beautiful eyes. Her tousled hair. Her shy demeanor and caring nature. The way they had danced together at the ball, as though it had been the most natural thing in the world. She didn’t know how she hadn’t seen it before. She leaned across the table to press a kiss to Marianne’s lips.

Perhaps it was a risky decision. Perhaps Marianne did not see her the same way, and she would alienate her good friend so soon after her indirect rejection from Claude. But in that moment, Hilda was a woman with nothing to lose and the world to gain, and all she could think of was Marianne.

Marianne was stiff for a fraction of a second, but she leaned into the kiss and hesitantly tangled a hand into Hilda’s pink locks.

Hilda slowly pulled away. She felt heat rise in her face; Marianne looked like an angel, silhouetted against the now-setting sun. She lowered her eyes. “It’s getting late. I can walk you home if you want.”

The couple stood from the table and made their way in the direction of the dorms. Hilda took her partner’s hand in hers, interlocking their fingers. They ascended the stairs to the second floor dorms, hand in hand, in peace and away from prying eyes, and they paused outside the blue-haired girl’s door.

“Thanks for joining me,” said Hilda. “I had a lot of fun.”

“Um, me too,” Marianne started to turn away, but with a moment’s hesitation, she turned back and gingerly kissed Hilda on the cheek.

Hilda felt herself go bright red. “I hope we can do this again sometime.”

**Author's Note:**

> I just want good things for Hilda. I felt bad leaving her where I did in my Goddess Tower story, so I felt compelled to write this. I don't know how to make things a series, but if I did this would be a sequel to that one. It's a little longer than my usual stuff, but still rather short. Let me know if it's working well.


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